Failing
by Abnegation Ravenclaw
Summary: His expression softened. "You alright?" "I'm fine, Ronald." Hermione snapped. "I'm just not very hungry. Why do you care?" "Why do I care?" the redhead laughed dryly. "I care because you're my best friend, that's why."/ in which Hermione is stressed and frustrated with studying, she thinks she has failed her exams, and Ron helps. fluffy friendship thingy.


**My first Harry Potter fic in months, yay. :) I don't even know what to say, really. haha.  
**

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_The arcromantula is native to northern Borneo. It thrives in jungles and eats..._

Hermione slammed the book, _Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them_, shut. She sighed and looked at her piece of parchment with all of the notes for the Care of Magical Creatures exam, then she let her eyes travel to the eagle feather quill that was currently dripping ink right onto her notes. Sighing heavily, Hermione moved it over, but that only resulted in getting even more unwanted ink onto her notes. Then she noticed that her hands were now stained as well.

_Merlin's beard_, the girl thought in dismay, looking at her stained hands. Hermione bit back a curse and stood up, making her way out of the Gryffindor common room and into the girl's bathroom. She ran them under the cold water, cursing out loud this time when the ink on her hands refused to wash away. Hermione lathered what was most likely an unhealthy amount of soap on her hands, scrubbing vigorously. When she ran them under the water again, she groaned loudly; it had faded somewhat, but was still very noticeable.

_Ugh, screw it._ She said to herself, beginning to dry her stained, and now wet, hands. _If it doesn't want to cooperate, then so be it_. Hermione went back out to the common room, only to find that the seat she'd been sitting in had been taken. every other seat in the common room was now occupied as well. She groaned inwardly, and walked up to her now occupied seat.

"Excuse me," Hermione muttered, scooping up her books, parchment, quill, and ink, then shoving all of her stuff into her bag. She hoisted the now very heavy bag up onto her shoulder, then pivoted and started heading up to the fifth year girl's dormitory. When she was on the third or fourth step, her bag split and everything came spilling out. Spare bits of parchment and quills were now littered everywhere. Her glass jar of ink had shattered, and book after book came plopping out and onto the stairs. A few fell down the few stairs that she had climbed, and one particular heavy one fell onto her foot. Hermione winced and bent over to begin collecting her spilled possesions. A few people here and there rushed over to help out, and a few girls helped her carry some books into her dormitory and deposit them on her bed. Hermione sighed heavily and began moving her books, ink, parchment, and quills into her trunk, blinking back tears.

* * *

Hermione watched as Ron stuffed his face full of bacon, eggs, and toast. Harry was similar, except he ate much more slowly, as if savoring each bite. She, however, could barely bring herself to eat anything. There was a potions exam that day, and while she wasn't terrible at potions, she knew that Professor Snape would grade them harshly. She tried not to panic from stress and nerves and whatnot. She hoped that no one would notice her whole situation. If anyone did, they would surely laugh since she was "the brightest witch of her age" apparently.

"Hey, aren't you going to eat something?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs. Hermione shook her head and bit her lip. His expression softened. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, Ronald." Hermione snapped. "I'm just not very hungry. Why do you care?"

"Why do I care?" the redhead laughed dryly. "I care because you're my best friend, that's why."

"I thought I was your best friend." Harry faked a hurt expression and Ron and Hermione both laughed. She felt a little better after the joke, but she still felt scared, nervous, and very, very stressed.

"I'm just going to run to the loo really quickly." She stood up and managed a smile. "I'll see you two in class." and she walked out of the great hall and into the nearest restroom. Hermione locked herself in a stall and blinked rapidly to get the tears that were now building up in her eyes away. It didn't work. One hot tear fell, which she wiped away quickly, but then two more traced their way down her cheeks. Hermione sniffled and wiped away those tears as well. It didn't do much good, though, because soon she was sitting there crying silent tears. Hermione wasn't even really sure _why_ she was crying, but she knew that she was stressed and nervous. Maybe the stress was just affecting her. Yes, that was it. she dried her tears, left her stall, and splashed water onto her face.

With a pang of panic, Hermione realized that she was late for the potions exam, so she took a deep breath and started running toward the dungeons. She entered the potions classroom, earning a few rude sneers from the slytherins and concerned glances from her fellow gryffindors.

"Miss Granger," Professor Snape said. "It isn't like you to be late. Fifteen points from Gryffindor." She nodded and took a seat next to Harry.

"What happened?" he murmured, squinting at her. "Have you been crying?"

"I just... forgot my quill." Hermione lied. "I had to run back and get it, so I'm just a tad bit late to class."

"Okay, but..." Harry lowered his voice even more as Snape walked past. "Are you alright?"

"I am perfectly fine," She replied. "Now, can I borrow your silver knife for a second? I need to cut up my roots." Harry handed the requested item over, and Hermione began her work.

* * *

"I think I failed that potions exam." Ron admitted later, while they were eating lunch.

"I think I did too... I completely skipped a step on accident." Harry said in between bites of soup. Hermione nodded, staring off into space. "how did you do, Hermione?"

"Obviously she aced that exam," Ron answered before she could say anything, which, truthfully, she was grateful for. she really didn't want to admit that she had done poorly. "She's Hermione bloody Granger." Hermione managed a small smile and the boys began discussing quidditch.

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She just didn't get it, charms was her best subject. So why couldn't she get this one charm? She'd done it before just fine, but now...

Hermione said the incantation and practiced the movement, but no luck. She could feel her eyes burning with unshed tears again, and she cursed herself silently. Merlin, why was she so emotional these days? after a few more attempts, Hermione broke down. She blinked hard in attempt to hold back the tears, but they fell anyway. Then she found herself sobbing, sniffling- she was glad that she was the only one in the common room at the moment- this really wasn't the most attractive thing for a girl to be doing. But Hermione couldn't exactly stop.

"Hermione?" someone said incredulously. She looked up and registered an red mop of hair.

"I'm fine, Ron." she found herself shouting, hastily wiping away tears.

"_No_, you're not." he chuckled dryly and sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"It's… it's nothing." Hermione sniffled. "I just got overwhelmed for a second."

"Is there anything I can do?" Ron seemed oddly caring today. Not that he wasn't always sweet, but this wasn't what he normally did.

"I just need some alone time." She managed a weak grin.

"Okay…" Ron stood up and awkwardly walked out. She sighed and picked up her wand again. Then he turned and entered the Gryffindor common room again. "I know that you are, er, stressed and all." Hermione suddenly burst into tears, and then immediately cursed herself. She was supposed to be the calm, cool, collected one; she wasn't supposed to cry like this. Why was she even crying?

"Oh, Hermione," Ron muttered somewhat awkwardly, beginning to pat her on the back as she sniffled. "What happened?"

"I-I'm just so s-stressed and c-c-confused..." She spilled. "I can't do anything right. I-I think I failed my potions exam... I think I'm going to fail charms and transfiguration... I just..." She shrugged helplessly and, to her surprise, he pulled her into a hug.

"Hermione, you are honestly the smartest person I know. A grade on an exam doesn't matter much, okay?" Ron said soothingly. She nodded against his chest. "What matters is that you know you're smart, I know you're smart..."

"Thank you." Hermione sniffled a final time, then wiped her eyes.

"I think, right now, you need a break. Okay?" she nodded.

"Sounds good." both smiled at each other before hugging each other once again.

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**I think they're adorable. The whole progression of their feelings for one another is just-**

**Give me some story ideas and such and I'll write it. **

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


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